For charities and non-profit organizations, making a lasting difference is a way of life. Successful charities truly fulfill their mission and better the world one individual at a time. But non-profits can only achieve their goals and continue to influences others with regular and reliable donations. And while one-time donors are, of course, always appreciated, thriving charities depend on the support of long term donor retention. But keeping contributors invested and engaged isn’t easy. In fact, recent studies continue to show that three out of four donors do not return after their first donation. While there are dozens of different techniques and methods to help charities retain donors, one often overlooked solution is effective document management. Although at first glance it might appear unrelated, establishing reliable document management is actually an incredibly important part of donor retention.
Empower Volunteers
Volunteers are the heart of every non-profit organization, interacting with donors and driving support for different campaigns. Volunteers are the face of your non-profit and the first resource most people have for answering questions and providing information. A dedicated and knowledgeable volunteer shows one-time donors that your charity is well-structured, organized, and working effectively. It gives them a sense of pride in their contributions and encourages them to give again. But non-profit volunteers are constantly changing and often work in the field or on the go. They need easy access to filers, brochures, and resources, as well as important campaign details, In essence, they need a reliable and effective document management system to help them support existing charity efforts and maintain the trust of existing donors.
Improve Branding
Branding is something that you might not think about when it comes to charities. Typically brands bring to mind images of breakfast cereals, fast food chains, or other for-profit businesses. But branding is really about sharing your story. In non-profit organizations, a well-illustrated story helps donors connect to the charity, empathize with its mission, and remember why they contributed the first time. Stories bring charities to life and give a real-world perspective to important issues. However, effective branding, or rather effective storytelling, depends on consistency and clear communication. Volunteer and employees need to be on the same page about not only their mission but also the qualities and characteristics of the organization. And branding needs to look familiar across the company to reassure, remind, and inspire donors. With effective document management, branding material can be easily accessed, adapted, and understood by all employees.
Ensure Compliance
While some non-profits only operate on a local scale, many reach out to contributors at a national or even global level. Connecting with such a wide-reaching audience is a fantastic opportunity to reach new donors and say in contact with donors wherever they are. But increased reach also means increased legal qualifications. When organizations begin working across state, region, or country lines, legal requirements become much more complicated. Without an organized way to manage documents and store files, it can be difficult to stay on top of everything. In order to maximize reach and help retain long term donors, organizations need effective document management.
Keep Confidentiality
Donating to charity is different for everyone. For some people, donating is exciting and something to be shared. But for others, donating means private participation, especially when donations are large or come from well-known sources. Protecting donor anonymity is incredibly important. Besides being the ethical and honest choice, donors who wish to remain anonymous are much less likely to contribute again if their information is leaked. By utilizing safe, secure, and reliable document management, non-profit organizations can keep donor records completely confidential while still maintaining their own information database.
MangoApps
Maintaining existing donors is hard work, but utilizing the right tools makes the process a lot easier. With detailed document management tools, on the go team and company communication, and enterprise-level security settings, MangoApps helps charities and non-profit organizations not only find new donors but also retain long term relationships.
To learn more about how MangoApps enhances the non-profit experience or to learn more about document management tools, contact us or schedule a personalized demo today.
